Ole Miss Secures First Weekend Sweep in High-Scoring Matchup vs. Eastern Kentucky

The Ole Miss Rebels secured their first weekend sweep of the season as they defeated Eastern Kentucky 9-3 at Swayze Field on Sunday behind an offensive showcase and some timely pitching.

The Rebels' pitching staff on Sunday went through plenty of arms they trotted six names to the mound, but despite the large pitch counts, the Ole Miss pitchers only allowed three runs and worked out of a few major jams.

Ole Miss has had the bats all weekend, but Sunday was an early offensive onslaught as two runs scored in the first inning on a seal of home by Hayden Federico and an RBI single from Ryan Moerman.

Ole Miss was not done swinging the stick as in the second inning catcher Campbell Smithwick put a charge into a ball into deep right field for his first home run of the year, driving in Will Furniss and himself, quickly followed by a bases-loaded, two-run single from Mitchell Sanford as the Rebels extended their lead to 6-0.

The Colonels found a long ball of their own behind Hayden Duffield in the third, putting the only blemish on Rebels starter Mason Nichols' outing for the day.

Ole Miss bounced back as Sanford recorded his third RBI of the day on a sac fly, and Humphrey found base for the fourth time as he singled in two runs in the seventh, extending the Rebels lead to 9-1

However, the Colonels did not go out with a fight as outfielder Julius Scearce capitalized on a leadoff walk in the ninth and sent his second home run out in two days, putting a dent into Ole Miss' lead making it 9-3.

The Rebels' stars of the day include Federico who recorded three hits and stole home in the opening stages of the game, Sanford who quadrupled his RBI total for the year, Smithwick who hit a home run and was hit by a pitch twice, finishing the day with three trips on the basepaths, and Humphrey who recorded three walks and a two RBI single.

With this win, Ole Miss moves to 6-1 on the season and drives the Colonels into a less-than-ideal mark of 0-7.

The Rebels will return to the diamond on Tuesday as they host in-state opponent Southern Miss who who started the year with seven straight wins, including a victory over Mississippi State last Tuesday, before dropping a game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday.